


Incipi.

by youngjusticewriter



Series: Who will bring you flowers when it's over? [1]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Ishbalan | Ishvalan, Gen, Ishbalan | Ishvalan Edward Elric, Ishval Civil War mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-15 05:27:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16056467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngjusticewriter/pseuds/youngjusticewriter
Summary: "You're burning you know," they tell him in a drawl.Edward stares at them in confusion even though he knows what they mean now.(He wishes he didn't; Edward wishes for a lot of things but they never happen.)"I'm not burning," he lies because that is how the memory goes.They stop leaning over the crib so they can walk towards him. They held Edward's face with both of their hands as though they loved him. (They didn't.) "Oh you're not literally burning like your red eyed siblings but you are burning just like I did. And one day you'll realize it."They grin down at him then with all their white teeth. They aren't envious of him for the first time in their life.





	Incipi.

The lights from the lanterns gave the memory from this night a warm glow. The crowd bustled around him, chattering about with the merchants and venders but he could not make out a word. 

Then there were words he could hear,  
"Do you want something?" Despite the years that had past Edward could still remember the softness of his voice. 

Edward (because that was what he was what he was called now) turned his head to face the man who had spoken to him. 

Unlike his squad members Kimblee's face  


"No," Edward curtly answered, his voice was strange to hear. He hadn't used it often during these years. 

Kimblee hummed softly in response before after a minute had passed he spoke again

"That's a lie," Kimblee told him. There were no words from the man after that. Obviously he was waiting for Edward's reply. 

Edward truly did not know what he wanted (Did he deserve to want after all he's done?); he knew what he needed to do though. 

"Then work from there," Kimblee said as he stepped closer to Edward. His hand fell on Edward's shoulder once he was close enough. Edward didn't know if it was a weight to drown him further or if the weight was to anchor him. 

(It didn't matter.)

Edward woke up with a groan. Maes was shaking his shoulder, the driver's seat was unbuckled. 

"We're here," his former squad member told him in a gay voice. "Elicia has missed you, you know." Maes added in more serious tone than before when Edward had not cared to responded to his first sentence. 

Despite having just woken up Edward managed to wear a small smile as though it was second skin, a mask to wear when needed to act and easy to drop when the curtain had fallen down (when nobody was looking). He unbuckled before getting out of the car and started walking to the steps of the Hughes home. The grass was freshly cut and purple hyacinths bloomed in the flower beds. Edward knew Gracia cared for the flowers but, as Maes unlocked the front door, Edward couldn't help but wonder if they hired a boy to cut their grass since Maes often worked over time. 

The question was forgotten was forgotten when there was small blur and there was Elicia. 

"Ow," the little girl said, her eyebrows squished together in pain after having run straight into his automail leg. After the pain faded Elicia cried out in childish loudness and joy, "Big brother Edward - pick me up." 

A golden eyebrow was raised at that. "I thought you said I was short enough to go through a mouse hole because I don't drink my milk." Despite his words Edward did pick up the girl. 

Elicia squinted at him with her big brown eyes. "I did not," was her indignant reply. "You just say things like that when people call you short." 

Edward snorted at that despite the pang in his heart this conversation had made him feel (remember). "Don't tell anyone that though otherwise I won't make any flower crowns for you." 

"Okay," she answered. Elicia then held up her pinky for a promise. Edward offered his up as well. 

It's after he's put Elicia down and she had ran off with Maes behind her to the kitchen that Garcia speaks to him. 

"You're good with her," she tells him and there's more than just pride in her eyes. It's curiosity, Edward knows. Edward likes Gracia (or what he's seen of her) but he will not have his past pinned down like that of a butterfly's wings because of that is curiosity of humans. 

"I made stew," Gracia tells him after the silence carries on too long. "It has milk - I didn't know you were coming - but would you like some?"

He needs to eat, Edward knows. Not just because it's time or that he's hungry but because he needs to. That's what happens when you have automail - you have eat a lot of food to have calories for the prosthetics to be usable. Yet Edward will not take this offer. He's not religious and Edward doesn't know much about his culture or religion but he knows about the rule in the Torah that forbids meat and milk. (He only knows it because Granny use to cook stew when he and Al were kids.) 

"Thanks but I'm tired. I have an early train to Lior in the morning. It's the last one actually." That last bit isn't a lie. Because of the Freezing Alchemist Edward wasn't able to get on the train today. 

Gracia nods at him. "You know where the guest room at." She starts to walk to the kitchen only to pause, her head twisted so she can look at him. "Oh, and feel free to help yourself to any food if you do feel hungry later tonight." 

Edward smiles at her for that before making his way up the stairs. He doesn't mean to actually fall asleep again but not long after his body hit the bed Edward falls asleep again. 

He dreams of the nursery. He can't smell the dust but he remembers it there.

His sibling stares at Edward, their head cocked at him as they lean again the weathered crib. Their gaze unnerving as they evaluate him. 

"You're burning you know," they tell him in a drawl. 

Edward stares at them in confusion even though he knows what they mean now. 

(He wishes he didn't; Edward wishes for a lot of things but they never happen.) 

"I'm not burning," he lies because that is how the memory goes. 

They stop leaning over the crib so they can walk towards him. They held Edward's face with both of their hands as though they loved him. (They didn't.) "Oh you're not literally burning like your red eyed siblings but you are burning just like I did. And one day you'll realize it." 

They grin down at him then with all their white teeth. They aren't envious of him for the first time in their life.

**Author's Note:**

> I binged Violet Evergarden. I have no regerts despite how much I cried.


End file.
